1000 shades of white

It used to be that when a DIY home decorator was bewildered by paint colour, the safe choice was white. In fact, many people still see white as a non - colour when it comes to paint, but nothing could be further from the truth. Interior designers create rooms done entirely in white with stunning results and you can, too!

Are there really 1,000 shades of white? Given the numerous paint companies, there are probably many thousands. The problem then becomes, "How do I choose the right white for my space?"

Because ofthe distinct subtleties in white paint colours, choosing just one can be more difficult than selecting from a red or blue palette. Its important to know whether you want a cool or warm shade of white, as well as how that undertone will play on the walls ofyour room. Just remember that any shade ofwhite is always determined by the undertone; white paint undertones are usually pink, blue, grey and yellow. If your room is urban and modern, choose whites with a cool blue undertone. On the other hand, to warm up a room, pick colours with a yellow undertone for walls and painted furniture ; choose pink undertones for smaller spaces such as the foyer or reading nook for a welcoming feel.

Urbana

Instead of showing you glossy photos of someones kitchen, we would like you to visit our beautiful showroom where we have a wide range of samples to choose from and qualified designers to help you layout a kitchen that is all your own. Urbana has an extensive selection of every doorstyle and a lot of exciting displays to fill you with inspiration. And we can show you lots of glossy pics of Urbana kitchens or better still you can touch and feel the real thing. See you soon.

Michael Black, of Capital Iron says that the days of a simple patio or deck dressed with a round table, four chairs and an umbrella are long past. "I tell people today that there are only two limits to your back yard," Michael says. "Your imagination and your wallet."

But even if your wallet isnt bursting, you can turn your back yard into a vacation paradise. Lets start with patio furniture. You dont have to do what my friends in Yellow Point did and drag your living room furniture out to the deck. You can get the same look and feel with purpose - built patio furniture and heaters that mount on arbours, pergolas and on the side of the house.

No sweat

NODA DESIGNS USES SCANDINAVIAN - STYLE FEATURES FOR A CELEBRITY TRAINERS GYM

UK: Celebrity fitness trainer, Mark Anthony, hired Nora Voon and Daria Piasecka, of UK - based Noda Designs, to create a flagship health studio in Notting Hill, London.

Spread across three levels of a stripped down converted pub, Voon said she thought of Scandinavian themed designs when she saw the amount of natural light that filled the empty space.

"Scandinavian style influenced by long days of winter, short summers and lack of sunlight tends to be distinguished by natural warm tones, lots of light and functionality," she said. "In addition, Scandinavian interiors use a lot of natural materials and finishes."

The Total Office

WHO?

WALLCOVERING SUPPLIERS

YOU SHOULD KNOW

Advances in technology and sustainability have made wallcoverings an important part of contemporary interior design, with commercial and residential projects expressing their personality and individuality by using different materials to cover their walls.

Wallcoverings can change the look of a space, and interior designers have a lot of choice in materials to use including wallpaper, tiles, paint or mosaics.

Trends for 2011 reported by Wallpa - perdirect, a wallcovering website, and Brewers, a UK - based decorating firm, claim old classics have been revived in the industry along with graphic prints and colour blocking.

Melanie Adams from Wallpaperdirect said key looks to bring walls to life include incorporating toile into wallcoverings. "Toile has made a comeback this year, but with a twist," she said.

Wood steaming

Ive always been driven by the desire to create something unique, which makes people question the concept of how a product should conform, especially in terms of aesthetics.

With a background in product design and sustainability, I have always loved products made from natural materials, particularly those created out of wood.

But it was only when I began to experiment with the process of steam bending, I realised how much could be done using the material. Frustrated by the constraints of traditional steam bending, I developed my own way of working using complex 3D forms for solid wood. Since then, I have never looked back and am passionate about the material and techniques I use. This focus has helped carve a completely new aesthetic with wood, competing with the newest and most advanced materials of the 21st century. It is not just the potential and possibilities the steam bending process offers which are beneficial. The concept is an age old tradition and is essentially a low tech method using steam to heat and plasticise the wood. Minimal energy is required and no nasty glues or toxins are needed or emitted.

INTERIOR SOLUTIONS

Decorating expert Rachel Leedham answers all your queries - this month, she tracks down a traditional sofa and some vibrant red paints.

Apothecary jars

Ql wonder if you can tell me who sells apothecary jars? So far, I've only managed to source them in the States. 

Apothecary jars are brilliant for storing anything from bath products to shells - they can even make mundane objects, such as loose change, look fabulous. Pale & Interesting (01797 344077, paleandinteresting. com) offers a range of hand-blown jars that come in sets of three different shapes, complete with antiqued labels. The jars are available in small (H14,14 and 15cm, shown above with white hyacinths), ?23.95: medium (H17, 18 and 21cm, shown with blue hyacinth), ?29.95, and large (H22, 23 and 26cm, shown left), ?42.95. Alternatively, Powder Blue (0116 270 3303. powder-blue.co.uk) sells several French-style apothecary jars, with prices starting at ?15 for a Footed Bobble design (H26cm), while Bnssi (020 8133 7491, brissi.co.uk) has a comparable Sevigny Glass canister with cut-glass detail (H3().5cm), ?24.

BASIC BOX CONSTRUCTION

MAIL MANAGER

Im what you might call a sequential mail opener. I tend to open all the woodworking catalogs that come in the days mail first. Next, I read cards and letters. Later —some - times much later —I open the bills.
To keep the mail organized I decided to invest part of a weekend to make an old - fashioned wall - hung letter box from some scraps of pine.

BASIC BOX CONSTRUCTION

The letter box derives much of its charm from its very basic joinery. Except for a few tongue and dado joints used inside to align the vertical parts, the rest of the joints are simple butt joints.
pattern tempi - ATKS. The first step is to make eardboard templates for the profiles used on the front, middle, back, and sides.

Only two templates are needed for all the profiles on the letter box. see Fig. 1. The pattern thats used for the front, middle and back pieces. it forms the scoop in the front and middle pieces. When its flipped upright, it forms the outline on the highest part of the back.

Light fantastic

A good lighting plan helps you set out what type of lighting you require and where that lighting needs to go. The practical function of lighting will vary from room to room. For example, the kitchen will require light to enable you to see while cooking, as well as providing a visual effect. How To magazine has put together this guide to lighting to help you illuminate your home, both aesthetically and practically.

There are a few terms to understand that will help you when putting together your lighting plan, starting with effects that can be broken down into three distinct categories:

Task lighting will provide light to help you complete tasks, focused onto areas where you perform household duties. The new range of task lamps from Orbit includes contemporary designs and energy efficiency combined with functionality and performance.

Ambient lighting, or background lighting, enables you to provide a room with a light that is even. This effect can be thought of as the canvas upon which other light combinations can be used. Shadows can be diffused with ambient light, giving your room a sense of even light coverage.

Accent lighting is where you can play with your lighting plan to highlight colours, walls or areas of interest. Have some fun with this part, as you will be surprised what a well - placed accent light can do for a room.

Bathroom beauty

Upgrading your bathroom is an important step to take when you consider renovating your house to a higher standard. Given these times, you are in a great position to make some upgrades to add value to your home while the market is quiet.

Heres a How To guide to help you beautify your bathroom:

Tapware

A change in tapware can make a massive improvement, not just in style, but also in performance. In contrast to the kitchen, your bathroom offers far more opportunities to get adventurous with tapware - in the vanity, the bath and the shower.

Single mixer taps on your vanity are a great way of improving performance. No longer do you have to worry about the hot getting too hot when washing your hands! However, you need to make sure you have a vanity that is able to cater for a single mixer tap. If youre planning on a straight swap from two taps to a single mixer, youll be left with an extra hole in your vanity and will need to add a new top. In your bath, you also have the option of swapping from two taps to a single mixer but, once again, youll need to look at what options you have available here. If the taps sprout from the edge of your bath, youll need to replace the bath. If they come out from the wall, a bit of creative work by a plumber will be able to rectify the situation.